Mounting rack



K. SINGER Nov. 1, 1949 MOUNTING RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1946 V INVENTCR. 1 1/27 qS'm/aae.

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Nov. 1, 1949 K. SINGER IIOUNTING RACK Filed Dec. 24, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 10 12 4 L 0 5 MI 6 1! W56 I J4 1; ,7 a z: /b@ iz m GD Q Q o O 0 INVENTOR. Auer J/vase.

Nov. 1, 1949 K. SINGER 2,486,764

MOUNTING RACK Filed Dec. 24, 1946 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 3 I N V EN TOR. Kz/Ar ,J'avsez Patented Nov. 1, 1949 MOUNTING Rack Kurt Singer, North Hollywood, Calii'., assignor to Radio Corporation of America,

of Delaware.

a corporation Application December 24, 1946, Serial No. 718,195

3' Claims. 1

This invention relates to mounting racks for equipment units such as electrical apparatus and is particularly suited to the mounting of vacuum tube circuit equipment which may be readily inspected and removed from the rack for repair.

. 'vide a file drawer mounting for an electrical unit 9 It is well-known that the modern type of installation of electrical equipment, such as that employed in broadcasting stations and motion picture studios, is in the form of units arranged in vertical panels or relay racks. These units may be oscillators, audio and high frequency ampliiiers, noise reduction amplifiers and compressors. They may occupy one or more racks positioned adjacent one another depending on the requirements of the installation. To service these units various arrangements have been employed for making the elements of the units and the terminals thereof readily accessible for both inspection and repair. A unit of this general -type is disclosed and claimed inNielson U. 8.

Patent No. 2,185,562 of January 2, 1940. The mounting shown in this patent is hinged whereby the front panel drops forwardly and downwardly to expose the terminals of the various elements in the units. A sliding type of unit is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,527,896 of February 24, 1925, this unit being of the drawer type sliding in and out of a radio cabinet.

This present invention is a mounting construction which is of the drawer type whereby the unit may be easily and quickly withdrawn from the rack for inspection not only of the elements themselves, such as the tubes, condensers and transformers, but also the terminals of these elements by the rotation of the unit to make the wiring side of the unit accessible. Animportant feature of this arrangement is that the unit need not be electrically disconnected during inspection which permits access to the terminals for measurements during operating of the unit. Furthermore, the entire unit may be quickly and readily detached from the panel rack and also replaced as quickly and readily.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the mounting, dismounting, inspection and repair of apparatus, particularly electrical units.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of and means for mounting electrical units.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting construction for electrical units arranged on panel or relay racks.

A still further object of the invention is to prowhich may be readily attached and detached from the panel and rotated for inspection and repair.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the mounting embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mounting with the electrical unit in open position.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3a is a detailed view taken along the line Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the mounting with electrical unit removed.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed cross-sectional views of the side runners taken along the lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively, of Fig. 4. P

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing the electrical unit in operating position and its position when withdrawn for inspection, and

Fig. 8 is an elevational view showing the electrical unit in rotated position for inspection or repair of the wiring side of the unit.

Referring now to the drawings in which the same numerals identify like elements, a panel or relay rack consists of U-shaped vertical side members 5 and 6. These members may be the standard relay rack uprights which are connected together at the bottom. Attached to the members 5 and 6 by screws 20 is a supporting member 1 having a bottom IS, the member 1 having an opening 8 therein through which an electrical unit I0 is inserted and withdrawn. When the unit I0 is in an operative position a front panel H fits into and closes the opening 8 although it is to be understood that the side members 5 and ,6 may have slots or crossmembers or a combination of both to support the unit and thus eliminate the member 1. To the rear ofthe bottom It! there is attached by screws, such as IS, a pair or terminal blocks l6 and IT. A dust cover may surround the unit if desired although it is not required. It is understood, of course, that similar units and terminal blocks I6 may be provided for other electrical units similar to unit l0 above and below the unit Ill or the unit may be inserted between other units mounted in the old manner.

nected into the unit either above or below the mounting surface of the box chassis 25. Mounted on the front panel ii is a potentiometer or gain control knob 21, a meter 28 and a selector switch 29 for connecting different vacuum tubes to the meter. A pair of pull knobs 30 are used to facilitate sliding the unit into and out of the panel while a pair of cables 3| are connected between the stationary terminal blocks l5 and H and to multiple pin plugs 34 and 35. The plugs 34 and 35 may be removed from their sockets 36 when it is desired to remove the unit Ill from the rack.

As shown in Fig. 7 the elements are so positioned that the cables 3| do-not contact any element as they loop and unloop during movement of the unit into and out of the drawer 9. Other types of units mayhave appropriate control elements on the front panel.

Referring now to Fig. 8, the portion constituting the unit I is shown supported solely on a'pair of pivot pins 31 and 38 on the sides of the chassis 25 (see Fig. 3), the pins being accommodated in the slanting notches 40 of a pair of runners 42 and 43. Thus, with the multiple pin plugs 34 and 35 disconnected from their sockets, the unit It may be lifted from the runners 42 and 43 and placed on a bench for inspection and repair. When the unit I0 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rear corners of the unit are held locked to the runners by beveled catches 44 mounted on right-angled spring members 45 having one end of each spring attached to the sides of chassis 25. The catches 44 are accommodated in openings 46 in the runners 42 and 43. When it decided to release and rotate the unit ID to the position shownin Fig. 8, the springs 45 are pushed inwardly by pressure on buttons 4'! as shown in detail in Fig. 3a.

The unit H) is thus supported by the pair of runners 42 and 43, these runners being movable on intermediate runners and 5|, the intermediate runners 50 and 5| beingmovable on the fixed track members 53 and 54, these latter members being attached to the sides of drawer 9 in any suitable. manner such as by rivets. The runners 42 and 43 are connected together at their rear ends by a bar 52 which may be integral with the runners 42 and 43. This U-shaped construction provides rigidity to the mounting. Thus, the unit ||l may be moved into and out of the panel by means of the knobs 36, the unit being held in its open position by a pair of springs 56 which abut a pair of stops 51. When it is desired to slide the unit into the panel, pressure is brought to bear on the sides of the springs 56 so they will clear the ends of the stops 51. To hold the unit in operative position within the panel springs 60 are adapted to clamp the arrowheads 6| on the front panel.

Although it is understood that any type of easily moving runner system may be employed, a preferred type is illustrated in the drawings wherein the outer double U-shaped fixed tracks 53 and 54 have mounted therein the intermediate double U-shaped runners 5|! and 5| which have rear wheels 62, intermediate wheels 63 and 66 and front wheels 64. The runners 42 and 43,

' thereto (see Figs. 5 and 6).

bearing the notches 46 and thereby supporting the unit II, are mounted within the intermediate runners 56 and II on angle straps 65 attached These straps ride between the wheels of the runners 50 and 5|, the wheels also carryin the runners 50 and 5| within the stationary tracks 53 and 54. In this manner the weight of the unit I0 is supported on wheels and may be easily moved into and out of the panel regardless of its weight.

Latches 69 pivoted at 10 to the intermediate runners 50 and 5| limit the outer position of the intermediate runners while the latches 12 attached to the intermediate runners 50 and 5| hook into latches 13 on the outer runners 42 and 43 to limit the outer position of these runners. The latches 12 are accessible through openings 15 (see Fig. 1) in case it is desired to remove the runners 42 and 43 from the intermediate runners. The latches 69 may be depressed to remove the runners 56 and 5| from the fixed tracks.

The above m'ounting construction, therefore,

' involves the unit l6, and supporting member I,

which has front flanges for attachment to the vertical members 5 and 6, and the fixed track members 53 and 54. These members together with the movable runners 42, 43, 50 and 5| provide the support for the unit being mounted. The front panel I may be used with the type side members as shown or may be incorporated as a part of the side members. This structure thus permits a heavy unit, electrical or otherwise, to be constructed and built separate fromits mounting rack and quickly placed in position by simply placing the pins 31 and 38 in the respective notches of the outer runners 42 and 43 and rotating the unit into the horizontal position so that the latches 44 lock in position. If the unit is electrical, the multiple pin plugs 34 and 35 are then inserted in their respective sockets, the springs 56 depressed and the unit rolled into operative position. By reversing the above procedure the unit is readily removed for inspection and repairs. The unit may simply be withdrawn from the rack and rotated as shown in Fig. 8 wherein the wiring between the elements of the unit is readily available for inspection, testing and any necessary repairs. Although, the unit ID has been shown as an electrical unit, mechanical units could also be mounted in the same manner.

I claim:

1. A mounting construction forelectrical units, comprising a rack having vertical side members, track members attached to said vertical side members, runners movably mounted on said track members and adapted to be moved in and out of said rack, said runners having notches therein, a rectangularly shaped electrical unit insertable between said side members, said unit having a front panel, electrical control elements on said panel, a fixed terminal block, electrical conductors between said block and, said unit, and pivot means on the sides of said unit substantially mid-way between the ends thereof and positioned in said notches of said runners, the front end of said unit being rotatably upwardly on said pivot means approximately ninety degrees to expose the bottom of said unit while maintaining said conductors connected and said electrical control elements in operative and observable position.

2. A mounting construction in accordance with claim 1, in which said pivot means are positioned between said panel and the center of gravity of said unit, the bottom of said unit being main- 5 6 tained substantially vertical and said panel 8191- UNITED STATES PA'I'ENI'S stantiaiiy horizontal by gravity. m Date 3. A mounting construction in accordance with g Nov. 21' 1911 claim 2, in which means are provided for locking 1:718:37 oberst June 25, 1929 said unit to said runners when said panel is ver- 5 2.031251 Clark Feb. 18. 1936 can? Wsmmed- 2,077,160 Wilson Apr. 13, 193': KURT SINGER 2,130,250 Reed Sept. 13, 1938 2,152,589 Haas et ai. Mar. 28, 1939 REFERENCES CITED 2,173,101 Fielder Sept. 19, 1939 The following references are or record in the 10 2,185,562 Nielsen Jan. 2, 1940 flie 01' this patent: 2,337,159 Fried! Dec. 21, 1943 Certificate of Correction Patent N 0. 2,486,764 November 1, 1949 KURT SINGER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, line 66, for the word rotatably read rotatable;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D. 1950 THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gommz'qsioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,486,764 November 1, 1949 KURT SINGER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: -r

Column 4, line 66, for the word rotatably read rotatable;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D. 1950 THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gommiqsioner of Patents. 

